SIU Investigating Death of Male on Highway 401

Other News Releases Related to Case 05-TCD-025

Witness Assistance

Mississauga (7 March, 2005) --- The Special Investigations Unit has commenced an investigation of an
incident that occurred yesterday at about 4:30 pm on the Highway 401
overpass at Don Mills Road in the City of Toronto, which resulted in
the death of a male individual and serious injuries to his daughter.

Toronto Police Service officers arrived at the scene in response to
reports of a male individual who was threatening to throw himself and a
young girl off the bridge. Some time later, the male threw his daughter
off the bridge and then jumped himself onto the highway below. The
young girl was taken to the Hospital for Sick Children where she is
being treated for internal injuries. The male sustained fatal injuries.

Initial information following the incident indicated the police
presence at the scene was confined to the periphery of the bridge.
However, it has since been confirmed that officers were on the bridge
and talking to the man at the time of the incident, thereby triggering
the SIU's jurisdiction.

SIU investigators have been dispatched and will be conducting an investigation of the circumstances surrounding this event.

The SIU is appealing for anyone who witnessed this incident to contact the Unit at 416-641-1879 or 1-800-787-8529.

The SIU is an arm’s length agency that investigates reports involving police where there has been death, serious injury or allegations of sexual assault. Under the Police Services Act, the Director of the SIU must

consider whether an officer has committed a criminal offence in connection with the incident under investigation

depending on the evidence, lay a criminal charge against the officer if appropriate or close the file without any charges being laid